By Anealla Safdar in Toronto

In many ways, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) puts the ‘business’ into show business. While evenings are centred around premieres, Red Carpet events and parties at Soho House (a pop-up club at TIFF), days are full of meetings in hotel lobbies, distributors’ temporary offices and cafes between those trying to break deals which will shape the near future of cinema.

Buyers looking for the next big film labour over early reviews, cast selection, synopses and filming schedules to work out the potential gain in an acquisition.

Agents are busily spotting new talent and programmers are engaging with filmmakers they want to feature at their own festivals.

Film District bought this year’s opener, Rian Johnson’s sci-fi “Looper”, last year at Cannes, but the company’s director Peter Schessel has said that TIFF is his favourite marketplace.

Here we take a look at three significant deals broken over the last few days:

Place Beyond the Pines
Focus Features has bought Derek Cianfrance’s (Blue Valentine, Cagefighter) “Place Beyond the Pines”, marking the first high profile deal bashed out at TIFF. Starring Eva Mendes, her off-screen partner Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper, the film was the most anticipated at Toronto.

Scene from "Place Beyond the Pines"

A Green Story
Indican Pictures has acquired exclusive North American rights to “A Green Story”, Variety reports. The plot revolves around an immigrant from Greece who succeeds in building a multi-million dollar business, having started off with just $22 in his pocket. The film stars Billy Zane, Shannon Elizabeth and George Finn and was shot in Greece and the US.

Scene from "A Green Story"

Entertainment One to buy Alliance Films
How much will it cost to buy Alliance Films, the leading company that distributes independent films in Canada, Britain and Spain? Around $225 million, reports said. “Based on the attractive long-term dynamics in the filmed entertainment distribution market, we anticipate strong market growth over the next 5 years,” Entertainment One predicts on its website.